SEAF Report

The Southeast Action Forum is committed to keep you abreast of all the latest happenings in Southeast Roanoke.. and here is an update.

The Southeast Action Forum's 1st Ice Cream Social (soon to be annual) was fairly judged a success by all. Volunteers from the Rescue Mission assisted a crack team of Southeast Forum members in bringing free ice cream and goodwill to all those who gave in to those urges for ice cream and sno-cones.

Photos will be up soon, and we are looking forward to Ice Cream Social II: The Return of the Sno-Cone.


In other news, tonight at the Belmont Christian Church - Rev. David Walton led a group consisting of representatives of the SEAF, Southeast Christian Coalition, FaithWorks, Presbyterian Community Center, 9th Street Church of the Brethren, the Roanoke City Police Department, and the community at large.

The meeting was held to discuss, in part, the problem with graffiti in Southeast. Also, the line of the night was coined by the Detective heading the Gangs and Organized Crime division - Southeast is bereft with "pseudo-gangs."

In other, simpler words - a bunch of bored kids trying to be like the thugs they see on TV, and using names and styles they have seen.... somewhere.

But the real question came when a mother of 3 spoke up and told of how her boys were caught pretending to be "thugs" after school. Well, Crips to be more honest about it.

2 young turks who probably could only spell Crips if they helped each other, and even then only in crayon - trying to play the games the big felons play. Luckily for them, they have a concerned parent.

Not all kids are so lucky.

The Southeast Christian Coalition presented Chief Gaskins with a $500 check to be put towards cleaning up graffiti in the Southeast area. That was a great thing, considering the news I received just prior to the meeting.

The Roanoke City PD, on behalf on the citizens of Southeast, was not granted the Myhometownhelper.com grant they requested.

The SEAF is working on a plan for available funds next year. But we gave it our best shot. No more Hamburger Helper for us I guess.

Thanks again, and see you all at the next meeting. June 6th at 7pm.